The Pacific Beach Planning Group (PBPG) is examining issues and solutions related to short-term vacation rentals, particularly their proliferation and impacts in the single-family zones.

Please attend this meeting to find out more, to share your concerns, and to explore solutions.
If you are unable to attend, email your comments to the PBPG at board@pbplanning.org
To get copies of meeting documents and receive notice of future meetings, contact committee chair Jim Krokee at jokrokee11@msn.com

On December 6th, the Pacific Beach Planning Group (PBPG) examined issues and solutions related to short-term vacation rentals, particularly their proliferation and impacts in the single-family zones. Below is an article from the Beach and Bay Press about the December meeting:

Short-term vacation rental operators and residents concerned about them participated in a Dec. 6 subcommittee meeting in Pacific Beach, with residents insisting they don’t belong in single-family neighborhoods and operators agreeing to “reasonable” regulations governing them.

A Short-Term Vacation Rental (STVR) Subcommittee has been established by the Pacific Beach Planning Group (PBPG) to meet with stakeholders to come up with workable recommendations on regulating STVRs. Some PB residents feel the proliferation of STVRs brings noise, traffic, parking and other problems that need to be dealt with.

“I’ve gotten a hundred emails complaining about STVRs being a nuisance,” noted subcommittee chairman Jim Krokee, who added the first STVR subcommittee meeting a month ago produced “two polarized points of view, one that people don’t want them in single family neighborhoods and the other that there should be a permit, ordinance or something to help control vacation rentals, which should be allowed to occur throughout the city.”

Krokee said the objective of the subcommittee is to come up with workable recommendations from stakeholders to address growing noise and other problems associated with vacation rentals.

“It’s (STVRs) becoming a big issue,” he added. “It’s important for the city to start thinking about what we do with vacation rentals.”

Krokee iterated that he felt it’s “absolutely imperative that we need a permit (system) to minimize (STVR) nuisance impacts.”

Vacation-rental industry reps weren’t in disagreement with the notion of a permit system or more regulations. But they did caution against “singling out” short-term rentals.

“A permitting process should have fees used across the board to enforce noise and other issues for all rentals, not just short-term rentals,” said one STVR industry rep.

PBPG chair Brian Curry said STVR issues now being vetted at the subcommittee level will be forwarded for a final decision to the whole planning group, adding the real power to change regulations governing them “lies with the mayor and City Council.”

“Just like the Oversize Vehicle Ordinance (OVO), the City Council likes to do things citywide,” noted Curry. “It’s great to see the community involved in issues that are facing us.”

Neighbors pointed out new regulations governing STVRs need to have teeth.

“The key to what we do with an ordinance is enforcement,” pointed out one resident. “We need to develop a source of revenue dedicated to enforcing whatever regulations you have in place. Eventually, you can have an ordinance which outlines specifically what disciplinary actionscan be taken against (STVR) property owners/managers.”

Resident Marcie Becket argued the number of short-term rentals in Pacific Beach has been growing significantly, adding to already-vexing problems of noise, overcrowding and lack of parking. “Vacation rentals are also causing long-term residents to move away, degrading our quality of life,” she said, arguing that STVRs crowd out “vested” residents who send their kids to local schools and contribute to the community’s long-term well being.

“This is an evolving dialogue,” noted subcommittee member Scott Chipman.

“Hopefully, we can finalize suggestions to present to the full PBPG in February,” said Krokee, suggesting stakeholders bring something to eat at the subcommittee’s next meeting Saturday, Jan. 10 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Pacific Beach/Taylor Branch Library.

Please attend this meeting to find out more, to share your concerns, and to explore solutions. If you are unable to attend, email your comments to the PBPG at board@pbplanning.org To receive notice of future meetings, contact Jim Krokee at jokrokee11@msn.com

Read on to find out more about vacation rental issues and previous PBPG efforts…

The San Diego City Council has adopted a Neighborhood Parking Protection Ordinance that restricts overnight parking (2am to 6am) of recreational, non-motorized and oversized vehicles. The ordinance became effective on August 17th with citations to be written beginning on September 1stand it includes the following vehicles:

*Recreational Vehicles are defined in the CA code as “any camp trailer, camper, trailer coach, or house car…” Or “any boat, dune buggy, all-terrain vehicle or other motorized or towed vehicle designed, maintained or used primarily for recreational purposes.”

The ordinance also prohibits any of these vehicles from parking within 50 feet of an intersection or alley at ANYTIME.

Permits:
Recreational vehicle owners may obtain a permit allowing overnight parking. A permit is valid for one 24-hour period. The cost per 24 hour permit is $1.25. Permit applicants may obtain up to three consecutive days (72 hours total) at one time. Applicants may purchase up to 72 days of permits per year. The permit is only valid on the same block as the resident’s address. You may apply for a permit online here.

In order for this ordinance to be effective, the community must be vigilant and willing to report violations.

HOW TO REPORT ILLEGALLY PARKED VEHICLES
Citations will levy a $100 fine to vehicle owners.

Call anytime: 619 531-2000 (police non-emergency line) to report illegal parking, including unpermitted overnight (2am to 6am) parking of recreational, non-motorized and oversize vehicles.Note: For best police response, provide the street address, license number and vehicle make/model. Call again if the violation is repeated or unresolved.

WANT MORE INFORMATION?

This ordinance is in the San Diego Municipal Code Traffic and Vehicles sections 86.0138 – 86.0144. If you have questions or enforcement issues read the FAQs below and/or contact:

Q. The ordinance prohibits “oversized/recreational/non-motorized vehicles from parking within 50 feet of intersections. Does that include alleys?A. Yes. §86.0139 state that “It is unlawful for any person to park or leave standing within 50 feet of any intersection of public streets, a public street and park road, a public street and alley or a park road and alley,…any oversized, non-motorized or recreational vehicle at any time.”Q. Are there exceptions to the prohibition on parking of Oversized, Non-Motorized and Recreational Vehicles? A. Yes. §86.0140 states these exceptions:

oversize vehicle on a public street while actively engaged in loading or unloading goods, wares, or merchandise from or to any building or structure.

oversize vehicle on a public street when left standing in connection with, and in aid of, the performance of a service to or on a property in the block..

vehicle belonging to federal, state, or local authorities, or a public utility.

school bus or any bus on a public street used for the transportation of student, youths or disabled persons during the course of the activity for which they were transported.

when parked in commercial loading zones.

Q. Which vehicles MUST OBTAIN A PERMIT to park on the street between 2 am and 6 am?A. A Temporary Overnight Parking Permit may only be issued for a Recreational Vehicle (RV). According to SDMC 81.0102 an RV means:

(b) any boat, dune buggy, all-terrain vehicle or other motorized or towed vehicle designed, maintained, or used primarily for recreational purposes.

Proof of residency and vehicle control, e.g. ownership, is required.

Q. Which vehicles are NEVER PERMITTED to park on the street between 2 am and 6 am?A. Non motorized vehicles (not used for recreation), e.g. cargo trailer, trailer bus, etc.

Q. What about a Moving/Storage Pod left at the curb during a move? A. Storage pods are not covered under this ordinance. (However, per the Traffic Code, pods are not permitted to be placed on a public street.)

Q. Do I need to check for a permit before I call to report an illegally parked recreation vehicle?A.Check for a permit if you can, but it’s not mandatory. Once you report the vehicle, the police can check electronically to verify if a permit has been issued. Call anytime: 619 531-2000 (police non-emergency line) to report illegal parking,Q. Who can I contact, if despite repeated calls to SDPD, the vehicle continues to park illegally?A. If after numerous reports the illegally parked vehicle is not cited, contact:

One of our own is serving on the recently-formed SDPD Northern Division Captain’s Advisory Board. What is the Captain’s Advisory Board?

The Captain’s Advisory Board was reinstated by our new Northern Division Police Captain, Jerry Hara. The Police Advisory Board is made up of officers and community members from the Northern Division. Our Northern Division is made up of neighborhoods including Bay Ho, Bay Park, Clairemont Mesa North, East and West, La Jolla, Mission Bay Park, Mission Beach, Torrey Pines, University City and Pacific Beach. There are over 20 people on the Board. Block Captains and residents from different areas.The purpose of the Board is to promote a 2-way dialog between the Police and residents about community issues. This helps our Police tailor their policing approach to our needs. Marcella Teran is our Representative. She was selected to participate on the Board because of her involvement in the Pacific Beach Neighborhood Watch (PB NW). Under her leadership, Neighborhood Watch groups in PB have grown from 13 to 53!

NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH:
We have over 53 Neighborhood Watch (NW) groups in Pacific Beach and the police are using us as a model for other communities to follow! NW allows neighbors to connect in-person with each other, which makes our neighborhoods safer and builds our community. NW allows residents to have direct communication with the police about issues that concern them. It’s easy to start a NW – just email Marcella Teran and she will assist you and answer any questions you may have. marcellateran@gmail.com

Did you know that city code requires everyone to pull their trash and recycle bins in by 6pm on trash day?

It may seem like a silly city rule that you have to bring your bins in and not leave them out but actually the rule is rooted in the “broken window theory” which is a really an important principle for reducing crime in neighborhoods.

The principle is, if a neighborhood looks unkempt with trash, graffiti and broken windows, it tends to increase the likelihood that people will leave more trash, do more graffiti and commit further crime.

So, it’s been shown over and over again that if you keep you neighborhood clean and neat and take care of trash and take care of graffiti that you will discourage crime, litter, vandalism and things like that.

City of San Diego Municipal Code Section 66.0105:

Containers should be stored in a secured location not visible from public right-of-way, such as behind a fence, in your backyard, or in your garage.

Container Set-out: To ensure collection, all containers must be placed at designated point of collection by 6 a.m. on your scheduled collection day. Set the container on the street or alley, wheels against the curb and with the handle facing your home.

Container Removal: All containers must be removed from your designated point of collection by 6 p.m. on your scheduled collection day.

To report damaged, lost or stolen containers, to request an additional container, or for general questions about trash and recycling collection, please call the Environmental Services Department at 858-694-7000.